Days and Nights at The Second City: A Memoir, with Notes on Staging Review Theatre
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Book Overview
On December 1, 1959, in Chicago, a small band of classically trained actors, directors, and musicians came together to create what became-and remains-a legendary home of comedy: The Second City. Very quickly it achieved an international reputation as a center for comedic performance. It served as the training ground for hundreds of important writers, actors, and directors: Bill Murray, John Belushi, Alan Arkin, Mike Nichols and Elaine May, John Candy, Martin Short, Harold Ramis, George Wendt, Mike Myers, Gilda Radner-the list goes on and on. Now Bernard Sahlins, a founder and the longtime director and producer of The Second City, has set down his experiences and his methods in Days and Nights at The Second City. A fascinating history of how this remarkable institution came to be, plus a detailed text on every aspect of staging a comic review, and absorbing conversation on the art of the hilarious. Not only actors and directors but anyone interested in theatre and comedy will find engaging and useful insights on every page. "The entire recent tradition of American satire can be summed up in three words: The Second City."-New York Times. "A must for anyone interested in the period."-Alan Arkin.
Format:Paperback
Language:English
ISBN:1566634318
ISBN13:9781566634311
Release Date:January 2002
Publisher:Ivan R. Dee Publisher
Length:224 Pages
Weight:0.62 lbs.
Dimensions:0.6" x 5.9" x 8.8"
Customer Reviews
1 rating
An important perspective on an important topic
Published by Thriftbooks.com User , 23 years ago
Bernie Sahlins was producer and sometime director of Second City for the first 25 years.The first part of the book is a memoir of his days at the theatre. I enjoyed this enormously as I know a lot of the people to whom he refers, but I wonder if somebody without this familiarity would get quite as much.The second part consists of his notes on putting together sketches and shows. While this is not a comprehensive guide, much of what he has to say here has not appeared in the other key improv books. I think anybody building sketch material from an improvisational base would do well to pay attention. You don't have to agree with everything he says to learn from him. All in all, very much worth your attention.
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